Hoyya - Hoy!!!!!

The climb up Nandi Hills began in right earnest. The steps to the top were in a state of disintegration. It was kind of like stepping in to the unknown as the view of the top was smudged by the mist. I am sure ppl new to Nandi hills thought that the steps led straight to the top..atleast i did...But ...and that is a but with a capital B.
The steps led to the bottom of the actual hills and the reserve forest..a road that led up to the archway - a relic from the Britishers, preserved as such ..

The mist had a magical effect on the day and the place....visibility was not more than 100 meters and so u never knew what lay straight ahead..and the archway had this ethereal feel to it...a doorway into another world maybe??????
The guys led by Radi were pushing ahead and the first stop was "Muthalakulam"...a huge pond, totally walled, a rusted warning telling people not to go in ...the mist totally covering it and the greenish water peering through occassionally....Everyone looking hard for the sliding brown of a crocodile...and i believe somebody did too...
Hats off to the guy who started this thing about the "Mothala"...Paul was it or Selvin???
The rain had drenched the walkway to the top. The walkway that led along the side of the muthalakulam and right below an old banyan tree..roots all gnarled and partially blocking the path...Obviously a photo-op, and the digital cameras clicked away..and the first real test for my canon Big-Finder camera (with auto focus, auto flash and auto light detection) appeared. A chance for a beautiful photo and all that i get a green background with a lot of smoke in the foreground..F#$%...so no photo for this part of the story...
the path had become a stairway now and the tree cover overhead was getting denser. what a day this is turning out to be...a tropical forest 60 kms from the city ..i never would have believed this if i hadnt seen it for myself...we would have climbed for say 10 mins..and already ppl were going...
"Eda, Vazhi thettiyo ennoru samshyam..."
"Vere Aarem Kaannanillalo...mmmmmmm????"
"Radi, Engotekkanada odunnathu....mazha vannal ellarum nanayum, vaa thirichu pokam".
"enikku mathiyaaye.......evideyenkilum onnu irikkanam...hooo"
angine paranju paranju we reached base station....and some body cried out "appo ithanno Nandi hills.....Phaaaaaa"...

"alla mone dinesha iniyum pokanam....."